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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24501289">Ballad of the Attic Trash Savior</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/majortommo/pseuds/majortommo'>majortommo</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Akechi Goro is Bad at Feelings, Crying, Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Drunk Texting, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gay, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M, No Smut, Romance, Self-Esteem Issues, Underage Drinking, and needs a hug, drunk akechi goro, mentions of suicide (minor), postgame, shuake, slight drunken violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 05:54:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,171</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24501289</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/majortommo/pseuds/majortommo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>I heard nothing else from him until I got a text around nine.</p><p>“why doer evryon prtendto car3.?/”</p><p>I’d sent countless reassurances to the contrary and even tried to call a few times only to get no answer. That was when I decided to go to his apartment. </p><p>———<br/>Goro is drunk and sad for a certain reason and Akira decides to go comfort him, even if he's told not to. Loosely based on Jet Pack Blues by Fall Out Boy. Posting for Pancake Boy's birthday bc he deserves all the love. P5/P5R Spoilers inbound, don't read if you don't wanna know.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>76</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Ballad of the Attic Trash Savior</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Again, some P5R spoilers are inbound, read at your own discretion! :))</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>My phone hadn’t vibrated in a while. I wished the damn train would go faster. Everyone except Akechi had been gathered in Leblanc to hang out and enjoy each others’ company. I’d consulted Haru and Futaba to see how they felt about Akechi joining us, and they approved but he told me he had a “prior engagement.” I hesitated before I accepted that explanation, but it wasn’t like I could make him show up. </p><p>I heard nothing else from him until I got a text around nine. </p><p>        “why doer evryon prtendto car3.?/”</p><p>I’d sent countless reassurances to the contrary and even tried to call a few times only to get no answer. That was when I decided to go to his apartment. </p><p>I told everyone they were allowed to keep on without me, and that I had to go help Akechi. Ann and Futaba seemed to exchange knowing looks at that, but they nor anyone else pressed me about it. Morgana opted to stay behind, which felt odd but I wasn’t about to complain. </p><p>I left in such a rush that I forgot my umbrella, so I was soaked through by the time I got to the station. At least the rain broke the June heat.<br/>
The train was less packed than usual when I boarded, so I found a window seat and rested my head against the cool glass. I pulled my phone back out and looked at all of the messages I’d sent.</p><p>        “nobody is pretending. what’s wrong?”</p><p>        “why are you typing so poorly?”</p><p>        “are you okay? do you want to come over?”</p><p>       <i>Goro Akechi missed your call — 9:11 p.m.</i></p><p>       <i>Goro Akechi missed your call — 9:12 p.m.</i></p><p>       <i>Goro Akechi missed your call — 9:12 p.m.</i></p><p>        “akechi you’re scaring me.”</p><p>        <i>Goro Akechi missed your call — 9:14 p.m.</i></p><p>        “I’m coming over.”</p><p>I was thankful to know his address from a prior meetup we’d had, or I’d be rather fucked. It was clear he wasn’t about to answer me. Every time I saw his poorly typed message, I felt my heart race once more. Poorly typed was not Akechi’s style. Even after dropping the pristine façade of the “Detective Prince,” he remained dignified and proud through and through, even if a bit harsh in some respects. Many would call it obnoxious (especially Ryuji and Morgana) but I found it oddly endearing. That wasn’t unusual though, I seemed to find everything about him endearing. Ann and Futaba regularly teased me about the crush they knew I had, but I could never quite bring myself to tell him. Hell, I couldn’t bring myself to even call him Goro.</p><p>The train came to a stop in Shibuya and I hurried off. It would take me another ten minutes if I walked, so I opted to run through the relentless rain towards the complex where Akechi lived.</p><p>The lobby was empty when I arrived panting from the run. Even after all of my training with Ryuji, I still couldn’t match his endurance bum-leg or not. I made my way across the white marbled tile to the elevators, noting the vague outline of my reflection in the golden doors. My coat was dripping water, and my usually curly hair clung to my glasses and face. I was glad none of the other high-class tenants were here to judge my disheveled appearance. I took a moment to try and fix my hair while I waited on the elevator. It dinged after only a minute and I stepped inside, pressing the button for floor seven. </p><p>While Akechi lived in one of the nicest apartment buildings in Shibuya, his apartment felt rather empty and lifeless upon my first and only visit months ago. The décor was modern and sleek, with white walls that held a few random art pieces used solely as decoration. The sofa and armchair were slate blue cloth, while the coffee table and end tables were a simple black with glass tops. A large window with sheer black curtains gave a lovely view of the city. There were lovely granite countertops in the kitchen, with spotless equipment there as well. The black stainless steel fridge and oven contrasted the white cabinets well. The cleanliness could either imply meticulousness (unsurprising considering Akechi) or a lack of use; I was unable to tell then. Now it seemed more the latter than the former. It would’ve been a dream for anyone his age to live so nicely, yet everything felt lonely and sterile. There was no personal touch, no photos, no signs of life at all. Considering what his life really was, it wasn’t surprising.</p><p>The elevator dinged to signify my arrival on his floor. I stepped out and made my way to his apartment, 727. When I arrived at the black door, I hesitated before knocking three times.</p><p>“Fuck off Akira.” His voice was uneven and slurred as he said my name, but he said my name. Not Kurusu-kun. Akira.</p><p>He called me Akira. Even though he told me to fuck off, my breath hitched as my heart picked up speed. Hearing that fed something deep inside of me that I couldn’t explain. I ran a hand through my soaked hair to push it back as I swallowed.</p><p>“I’m not leaving Ake...Goro.” A moment of silence followed as I processed actually calling him by his first name. The feeling inside of me only grew when I did it.</p><p>“Well you should! Nobody else has ever stayed and it’s too damn late to start now.” He sounded on the verge of hysterics. “Now go! I texted you out of weakness. I don’t need anyone!” </p><p>I tried the doorknob to find it unlocked. I pushed it open slowly, shocked by the sight that met me. The kitchen to the left had glass littering the floor, a brown liquor of some kind pooled onto the hardwood around the fragments. As I turned to the living room straight ahead, I saw Goro slumped over against the window, another bottle of liquor in hand as he poured it into a whiskey glass.</p><p>His hair was disheveled and he was dressed only in a gray t-shirt and black boxers. A far cry from his usual overcoat and slacks. When he noticed me, his face scrunched and his eyes became thin as a snake’s.</p><p>“Did I tell you to come in here?” He staggered to his feet, voice sweet and soft as he spilled his drink haphazardly. “I do not recall doing so. See that’s the problem. You don’t know how to listen.” </p><p>“I guess that’s pretty fair.” I tried to offer a smile as he took a step closer. “I’ve never listened when it comes to you.” I took off my sopping coat and put it on the coat rack next to the door before turning back to him.</p><p>He threw back the dregs in his mostly empty glass before slinging the glass at me. I barely ducked in time as it shattered on the door behind me. The tiny shards rained down on me as I covered my head. Fear rose up in me once more. I hadn’t expected such force.</p><p>“Are you scared now? I’m deranged Akira, I’ll hurt you. I’ll finish what I should have long fucking ago.” A snarl rested on his face as he did his best to charge at me. What he did not account for was the pool of alcohol he stood in, which led to him promptly slipping and falling in a heap right in front of me. I rushed to his side and turned him over, only to see him laughing.</p><p>“Look at me. The famous Detective Prince in a heap on the ground. Absolutely pathetic. Now I’ve got some attic trash savior to try and make my perfect life better. This really is rich.” His laughter failed to mask the fact that I could see tears roll out of his eyes as I held him in my arms. This wasn’t a time for more words. I just hugged him. My hands gripped the back of his t-shirt, and his laughter stopped as his arms went slack. Someone was shaking, but I couldn’t tell whether it was him or me. </p><p>“Get away from me. Please.” His voice was small but still slurred, the venom finally departed from his tone.</p><p>“I can’t.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“Because you’re in pain.”</p><p>“So what? I fucking deserve pain. I bring pain.”</p><p>“Just fucking hug me back Goro. Let yourself feel something. Let someone care about you for once.” I blinked tears out of my eyes and onto the floor. “Please.” </p><p>Slowly, he brought his hands around my back and gave me a squeeze. I pulled him up into a sitting position and he clung to me, burying his face in the crook of my neck. He shook for a while, sniffling quite a lot. We stayed like that for a while.</p><p>“Sorry for throwing the glass.” His voice was barely a whisper.</p><p>“Don’t worry about it. you didn’t hurt me. Do you want to stay like this or let go.”</p><p>“...Stay, please.”</p><p>“Okay.” I rocked us back and forth slowly, trying to organize my thoughts and get past the fact that I had my crush in my arms, comforting him. Goro had never been one to allow closeness, even after everything we had been through. Sure, we’d gone to Kichijoji here and there after settling everything, be it for some non-alcoholic drinks or a game of billiards. Being in his apartment in the midst of a drunken breakdown though, that was a new layer of proximity. I’d have to ask where he managed to get a hold of liquor at a later point. </p><p>He finally loosened his hold after his crying came to a stop and sat back, looking at the floor.</p><p>“I’m a fucking mess.”</p><p>“That’s okay. Everyone is.”</p><p>“I’m not supposed to—”</p><p>“Fuck what you’re supposed to be Goro. You’re human, just like everyone else. You’ve done some horrid things, and some people may not ever be able to forgive you for them.” I paused. Did I forgive him for them? Was I okay with being completely smitten with Goro Akechi, the former Black Mask serial killer lapdog for Masayoshi Shido who thought he put a bullet in my skull? I knew now that he was so much more than that though.     “But—”</p><p>“Do you...forgive me?”  His words were barely a whisper as he finally locked eyes with me. His eyes were wide and red from crying. He’d never once asked me for forgiveness before, and now it hung openly in the air as a desperate plea.</p><p>“I...I forgive you for trying to kill me, and for betraying the Phantom Thieves. It’s water under the bridge to me at this point, but I forgave you the minute I found out you were still alive Goro. I thought I had lost you for good.” I worked to keep my voice even, my resolve strong as I pushed on. “I can’t speak for the whole group, and I can’t absolve you for the things you’ve done to Futaba and Haru. It is just not my place. But I don’t hate you because of it. Even if I should.”</p><p>“Why not?” His voice broke. “I hurt so many people on some fucked up quest for revenge. I just wanted to be loved but I made myself undeserving of it.” </p><p>“And you’ll spend the rest of your life knowing that about yourself Goro, as you work to be better. It doesn’t make you undeserving of love, and it’s not like me hating you is going to fix what happened to all of those people. Hate doesn’t fix anything. Love does.” </p><p>Goro blanched and I blushed furiously, looking away and letting him go as I realized what I’d said. </p><p>“I–I mean…”</p><p>“So you...love me?” </p><p>I let his question hang in the air as I looked into his eyes. The usual fire was absent, leaving irises that favored brown over red today as tears looked to overflow shortly. I’d known that I felt something deeper for Goro for a long time, but only now did I realize the extent of it.</p><p>“I–I think I do.” I mumbled the words, not able to meet his gaze anymore. There was no point in lying after all of this.</p><p>“Hmph. I think you have remarkably poor taste in men then.” I looked up to see a slightly smug look on his face.</p><p>“How do you manage to slur in a sophisticated manner?”</p><p>“All of this is just part of who I am. I’ve ingrained being sophisticated as shit into my blood at this point.” I let out a small chuckle at his remark.</p><p>“You don’t have to...answer what I said tonight. Or at all really.”</p><p>He offered no response, just looked at me as if he was unsure what to say.</p><p>“Let’s get you cleaned up and ready to sleep.” I stood up and helped him to his feet. He was still very unsteady from the drinking, so I guided him back to the bedroom with one arm slung over my shoulder so he could change out of his liquor soaked clothes. I followed him in, taking in the bedroom for the first time. </p><p>The walls were still white, and there was a black rug at the foot of the bed. Some generic modern art piece with lots of red brush strokes hung over the bed, which had a white quilted comforter with black trim to match the black pillowcases. The bed was made, and Goro’s usual outfit was hung up on the doorknob to a partly open walk-in closet across the room from the bed. Like the rest of the house, this felt barely lived in, and too sterile for someone his age especially. Seeing so little life in his own room made my heart clench a bit, but I focused on getting him settled on the bed before going to look for some clean clothes. </p><p>The walk in closet wasn’t massive, but had plenty of room for the few outfits Goro owned. He didn’t have much in the way of casual wear, so I came back out with a plain white tank top and a pair of blue striped boxers for him to wear.</p><p>When I got back to him, he was laying on his side with one arm draped over his eyes, breathing evenly. I was worried he’d dozed off until he slowly sat up upon hearing my footfalls. He stood slowly and took the clothes from my hand.</p><p>“Let me get changed then.” </p><p>“Okay.” I stepped back out of the bedroom and pulled the door mostly closed before sinking down to the floor with my head in my hands.</p><p>How the fuck did I let myself confess to him on a night like this? I hadn’t even processed my feelings or thought of a way to bring this up to the others properly. I wasn’t all that sure how Haru and Futaba would take the news that I was into the guy who murdered people they loved. And also tried to murder me. Nobody had really addressed that I hung out with Goro, but did that mean they were okay with him? Even then, this was so much deeper than that...</p><p>“Akira...come back in.” Goro’s voice was muffled and sleepy, but I listened nonetheless. I returned to find him sitting on the bed rather than laying on it, the dirty clothes discarded on the floor in favor of the clean ones. A small smile was on his face, alongside a dusty pink blush. “Thanks for helping me get cleaned up.”</p><p>“You’re welcome. Though I think we need to have a trip out with Ann at some point to get you some more clothes. I’ve seen every outfit in there already at least five times.”</p><p>“Oh shut it. My wardrobe is perfectly suitable. Plus I don’t know if Takamaki-san thinks well enough of me for such an outing...” He stood up from the bed, swaying a bit. “Could I...get another hug, perhaps?”<br/>
“Of course Goro.” I walked up to him and wrapped my arms around him as he did me. We stepped softly from side to side and clung together as I rubbed small circles in his back.</p><p>“You’re the first person to hug me since…” He trailed off, but I could’ve guessed who he was about to mention. </p><p>"I’ll never stop if you don’t want me to.”</p><p>“That sounds nice.” He made a sudden move toward the bed, still wrapped around me.</p><p>“What’re you–oomph!” We both landed side by side, and he let go long enough to get the covers pulled over us. I was still in my jeans and shoes though.</p><p>“At least let me get a bit more comfortable if you want me to stay.” </p><p>“Oh fine, just hurry up.” He propped his head up on one arm as I stood to get out of my shoes and jeans. I sent some texts to Futaba and Sojiro to keep them posted before I put my phone on the nightstand. I felt my face heat up for the umpteenth time that night as I kicked my shoes off and dropped my jeans to the floor before climbing back into bed next to him. Next to Goro Akechi. The guy I’d crushed on for months. The guy who tried to kill me. The guy who I thought I had lost in the engine room. It all felt a bit surreal. I faced him and he wrapped himself around me at once, burying his head in the crook of my neck. </p><p>“Thank you for coming.” </p><p>“Thank you for having a shitty aim while drunk.”</p><p>“I said I was sorry for that.”</p><p>“I know, I’m just teasing. Plus I did kinda force my way in.”</p><p>“So you think…”</p><p>“What does that mean?”</p><p>“I left the door unlocked for a reason, Akira.” He shifted a little to look up at me. “Today was the...anniversary of her suicide. I knew I’d need someone, whether I wanted them or not. I got drunk, sent that text, and then got angry for being so <i>weak</i>. But I couldn’t bring myself to lock the door or tell you to keep away.”</p><p>“You...you let me in?”</p><p>“I did.” He let out a small, sad chuckle. “In the most predictable fashion possible considering my emotions, I let you in.” </p><p>I couldn’t hold back a smile at that, nor could I hold back the tiredness that began to overtake me. I tightened my hold on him.</p><p>“Thank you Goro. Let’s sleep now.” </p><p>“Okay.” He closed his eyes and nestled back into the crook of my neck, which had apparently become a favorite spot of his. “Goodnight Akira.”</p><p>“Goodnight Goro.” I rubbed small circles in his back until his breathing slowed and evened. After I knew he was out, I allowed sleep to take me as well.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>My second fic is under way! I'm working on chapter 2 now, which may or may not be the final one depending on how things go. I don't anticipate this being too long though either way.<br/>I've officially made a twitter for all of my fanfiction shenanigans! you can find me @writingsbytommo. I'll post updates there and probably gush about my favorite ships.<br/>Thank you for reading! Kudos and comments are much appreciated if you feel so inclined :))<br/>(if you see any errors also feel free to tell me, this was not beta'd)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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